Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Jeanny Bronze’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Chrysanthemum  plant named ‘Jeanny Bronze’, characterized by its decorative pompon-type inflorescences with elongated oblong-shaped, bronze orange-colored ray florets; strong and upright flowering stems; freely flowering habit; early and uniform flowering response; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical designation: Chrysanthemum×morifolium.

Cultivar denomination: ‘Jeanny Bronze’.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar ofChrysanthemum plant, botanically known as Chrysanthemum×morifolium,commercially grown as a cut flower and hereinafter referred to by thename ‘Jeanny Bronze’.

The new Chrysanthemum is a naturally-occurring whole plant mutation ofthe Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Jeanny Salmon, disclosed in U.S.Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/267,906. The new Chrysanthemum wasdiscovered and selected by the Inventor as a single flowering plantwithin a population of plants of the cultivar in April, 2004, inHensbroek, The Netherlands. The selection of this plant was based on itsattractive ray floret color and good inflorescence form.

Asexual reproduction of the new Chrysanthemum by terminal cuttings in acontrolled environment in Hensbroek, The Netherlands since May, 2004,has shown that the unique features of this new Chrysanthemum are stableand reproduced true to type in successive generations.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Jeanny Bronze have not been observed under allpossible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat withvariations in environment such as temperature, daylength and lightintensity, without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe the unique characteristics of ‘Jeanny Bronze’. These characteristicsin combination distinguish ‘Jeanny Bronze’ as a new and distinctcultivar of Chrysanthemum:

-   -   1. Decorative pompon-type inflorescences with elongated        oblong-shaped, bronze orange-colored ray florets; typically        grown as a spray-type.    -   2. Strong and upright flowering stems.    -   3. Freely flowering habit.    -   4. Early and uniform flowering response; plants flower about 7.5        weeks after the start of photoinductive treatments.    -   5. Good postproduction longevity; plants maintain good substance        for about three weeks in an interior environment.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum differ from plants of the parent, thecultivar Jeanny Salmon, in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum have slightly larger and        darker green-colored leaves than plants of the cultivar Jeanny        Salmon.    -   2. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum are more freely flowering        than plants of the cultivar Jeanny Salmon.    -   3. Plants of the new Chrysanthemum and the cultivar Jeanny        Salmon differ in ray floret color as ray florets of plants of        the cultivar Jeanny Salmon are light orange in color.    -   4. Inflorescences of plants of the new Chrysanthemum have more        disc florets than inflorescences of plants of the cultivar        Jeanny Salmon.

Plants of the new Chrysanthemum can be compared to plants of theChrysanthemum cultivar Jeanny Orange, disclosed in U.S. Plant Pat. No.16,287. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Hensbroek, TheNetherlands, plants of the new Chrysanthemum differed from plants of thecultivar Jeanny Orange in primarily in ray floret color as plants of thecultivar Jeanny Orange had yellow orange-colored ray florets.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearanceof the new Chrysanthemum. These photographs show the colors as true asit is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of thistype. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the colorvalues cited in the detailed botanical description which accuratelydescribe the colors of the new Chrysanthemum.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective viewof a typical flowering stem of ‘Jeanny Bronze’ grown as a natural spray.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet are close-up views of theupper (left) and lower (right) surfaces of typical inflorescences andleaves of ‘Jeanny Bronze’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

In the following description, color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart, 2001 Edition, except where generalterms of ordinary dictionary significance are used. The aforementionedphotographs and following observations and measurements describe plantsgrown during the winter in Hensbroek, The Netherlands, under commercialpractice in a glass-covered greenhouse. Plants were initially given longday/short night treatments followed by short day/long night treatmentsto induce flower initiation and development. During the production ofthe plants, day temperatures ranged from 17.5° C. to 30° C., nighttemperatures ranged from 18.5° C. to 24° C. and light levels were aboutfive kilolux. Plants were pinched once and were about eleven weeks fromplanting when the photographs and the description were taken.

-   Botanical classification: Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Jeanny    Bronze.-   Parentage: Naturally-occurring whole plant mutation of the    Chrysanthemum×morifolium cultivar Jeanny Salmon, disclosed in U.S.    Plant patent application Ser. No. 11/267,906.-   Propagation:    -   -   Type.—Terminal vegetative cuttings.        -   Time to initiate roots.—About six to seven days with            temperatures about 20° C.        -   Time to produce a rooted young plant.—About 14 to 16 days            with temperatures about 20° C.        -   Root description/habit.—Fine; light brown in color; freely            branching.-   Plant description:    -   -   Appearance.—Herbaceous decorative-type cut flower that is            typically grown as a natural spray.        -   Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Erect. Length: About            60 cm. Diameter: About 6 mm. Texture: Pubescent;            longitudinally ridged. Color: 146C.        -   Foliage description.—Arrangement: Alternate; simple. Length:            About 6 cm to 11 cm. Width: About 4.5 cm to 9 cm. Apex:            Cuspidate. Base: Attenuate. Margin: Palmately lobed.            Texture, upper and lower surfaces: Pubescent, rough; veins            prominent on lower surface. Color: Developing foliage, upper            surface: 147A. Developing foliage, lower surface: 147B.            Fully expanded foliage, upper surface: Darker than 147A;            venation, close to 147C. Fully expanded foliage, lower            surface: Close to 147B; venation, 147C. Petiole: Length:            About 1.5 cm to 2.5 cm. Diameter: About 3 mm. Texture, upper            and lower surfaces: Pubescent. Color, upper and lower            surfaces: Close to 147C.-   Inflorescence description:    -   -   Appearance.—Decorative pompon-type inflorescence form with            elongated oblong-shaped ray florets. Inflorescences borne on            terminals, arising from leaf axils. Ray and disc florets            develop acropetally on a capitulum. Inflorescences not            fragrant.        -   Flowering response.—Under natural conditions, plant flower            in the autumn/winter in the Northern Hemisphere. At other            times of the year, inflorescence initiation and development            can be induced under short day/long night conditions (at            least 13.5 hours of darkness). Early and uniform flowering            response; plants exposed to two weeks of long day/short            night conditions after planting followed by photoinductive            short day/long night conditions flower about 7.5 weeks later            when grown as a natural spray.        -   Postproduction longevity.—In an interior environment,            inflorescences and foliage will maintain good color and            substance for about three weeks.        -   Quantity of inflorescence.—Freely flowering habit, about 20            to 25 inflorescences per flowering stem develop.        -   Spray width.—About 17 cm.        -   Inflorescence size.—Diameter: About 3.5 cm to 4 cm. Depth            (height): About 2 cm to 2.5 cm. Disc diameter: About 8 mm.        -   Inflorescence buds.—Shape: Oblate. Height: About 4 mm to            6 mm. Diameter: About 8 mm to 10 mm. Color: 137C to 137D.        -   Ray florets.—Length: About 7 mm to 18 mm. Width: About 4 mm            to 8 mm. Shape: Elongated oblong. Aspect: Incurving. Apex:            Emarginate. Margin: Entire. Base: Fused; tubular. Texture:            Smooth, glabrous; longitudinally ridged. Number of ray            florets per inflorescence: About 325 arranged in numerous            rows. Color: When opening, upper surface: Close to 163B.            When opening, lower surface: Close to 3D. Fully opened,            upper surface: Close to 167C; color becoming closer to 167C            to 167D with development. Fully opened, lower surface: Close            to 5D.        -   Disc florets.—Shape: Tubular, elongated. Length: About 5 mm            to 6 mm. Diameter: About 1 mm to 2 mm. Number of disc            florets per inflorescence: About 25 to 40; inconspicuous.            Color: Immature: Close to 12B; towards the apex, 145A.            Mature: Close to 5A.        -   Phyllaries.—Shape: Deltoid. Apex: Acute. Base: Truncate.            Margin: Entire. Texture, upper surface: Smooth, glabrous.            Texture, lower surface: Slightly pubescent. Color, upper            surface: Close to 146A. Color, lower surface: Close to 147A            to 147B.        -   Peduncles.—Length, first peduncle: About 4 cm to 5 cm.            Length, fourth peduncle: About 5 cm to 6 cm. Diameter: About            2 mm to 3 mm. Angle: About 45° from vertical. Strength:            Strong. Texture: Pubescent; longitudinally ridged. Color:            Close to 146C.        -   Reproductive organs.—Androecium: Not observed. Gynoecium:            Present on both ray and disc florets. Stigma length: About            5 mm. Stigma width: About 3 mm. Stigma shape: Bi-parted.            Stigma color: Close to 145C; towards the apex, 7A.        -   Seed/fruit.—Seed and fruit production has not been observed.-   Disease/pest resistance: Resistance to pathogens and pests common to    Chrysanthemums has not been observed on plants grown under    commercial conditions.

1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named ‘Jeanny Bronze’ as illustrated and described. 